Some vehicles include cargo compartments for storing various miscellaneous items so that the items do not roll or move around on the vehicle floor while the vehicle is in motion. These compartments are difficult to operate and do not adapt well to different vehicle floor configurations. Furthermore, these compartments provide limited storage space, which makes it difficult for adding items that are accumulated over the course of the occupant's travel. cl SUMMARY
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, an automotive vehicle has an expandable underseat storage assembly having a storage compartment. The vehicle has a floor and at least one row of rear seats. An elongated seat support member extends upwardly from the floor of the vehicle and supports the row of rear seats. The elongated seat support member has a middle portion that extends laterally across the vehicle and right and left end pedestals that extend longitudinally forward from right and left ends of the middle portion. Right and left bracket plates are disposed adjacent outer walls of the right and left end pedestals. The right and left bracket plates are fixedly attached to one or both of the vehicle floor and respective ones of the right and left end pedestals of the elongated seat support member. A front panel assembly extends laterally across the vehicle in front of the right and left end pedestals and is rotatably coupled to the right and left bracket plates. The elongated seat support member, the right and left bracket plates and the front panel assembly defining a storage area of the storage compartment wherein the middle portion of the elongated seat support member defines a rear side of the storage compartment, the right and left end pedestals and the right and left bracket plates define right and left sides of the storage compartment and the front panel assembly defines a front side of the storage compartment. The front panel assembly is movable between an extended position and a retracted position wherein when the front panel assembly is in the extended position the storage space of the storage compartment is larger than when the front panel assembly is in the retracted position. The front panel assembly has a primary panel and a secondary panel hingedly attached to each other along respective lateral edges. When the front panel assembly is in the retracted position, the primary and secondary panels lay against each other in a vertical position with the hingedly attached lateral edges of the primary and secondary panels being upper lateral edges of the primary and secondary panels and the primary and secondary panels are adjacent front edges of the right and left end pedestals of the elongated seat support member and the vertical primary and secondary panels define the front side of the storage compartment with the storage space defined by the primary panel and the elongated seat support member. When the front panel assembly is moved to the extended position, the primary panel is rotated forwardly and downwardly and extends forwardly from the right and left end pedestals and the secondary panel is rotated forwardly and upwardly so that it extends vertically upwardly from the primary panel wherein the vertical secondary panel when the front panel assembly is in the extended positioned is spaced forwardly from a position of the vertical primary and second panels when the front panel assembly is in the retracted position and the storage space is defined by the vertical secondary panel, the right and left bracket plates and the elongated seat support member.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, the elongated support member and the right bracket plate cooperate to define a right recess and the elongated support member and the left bracket plate cooperate to define a left recess wherein when the front panel assembly is in the retracted position a right cover plate is received in the right recess and a left cover plate is received in the left recess.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, the right cover plate is rotatably coupled to the right bracket plate and the left cover plate is rotatably coupled to the left bracket plate. In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure each cover plate has a flange extending from a periphery of that cover plate and a right end of the primary panel is coupled to the flange of the right cover plate and a left end of the primary panel is coupled to the flange of the left cover plate.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, when the front panel assembly is in the extended position a right end of the secondary panel abuts against the flange of the right cover plate and a left end of the secondary panel abuts against the flange of the left cover plate.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, each of the right and left ends of the secondary panel includes at least one magnetic element and the right and left cover plates include at least one corresponding magnetic element wherein when the front panel assembly is in the extended position, the magnetic elements of the right and left ends of the secondary panel magnetically engage with corresponding magnetic elements of the right and left cover plates to retain the front panel assembly in the extended position.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, the front panel assembly is configured to be rotated from the extended position to the retracted position with the secondary panel extending horizontally rearwardly from the upper lateral edge of the primary panel such that the secondary panel provides a top cover over at least a portion of the storage compartment.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, the secondary panel includes at least one divider and a corresponding recess in which the divider is received, the divider panel pivotably attached to the secondary panel and when the front panel assembly is in the extended positon, the divider is pivotable from a retracted position where it is received in the corresponding recess to an extended positon where it extends outwardly from the recess and when the divider is in the extended position it divides the storage compartment into sub-compartments.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, one of the elongated support member and the front panel assembly includes a latch mechanism and the other of the elongated support member and front panel assembly includes a latch member, the latch member engageable with and releasable from the latch mechanism, the latch mechanism and latch member holding the front panel assembly in the retracted position when the latch mechanism is engaged with the latch member and when the latch member is released from the latch mechanism the front panel assembly is movable to the extended positon.
Further areas of applicability of the teachings of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and the drawings provided hereinafter, wherein like reference numerals refer to like features throughout the several views of the drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description, including disclosed embodiments and drawings referenced therein, are merely exemplary in nature intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, its application or uses. Thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.